12 June 2102 Tuesday Day 5
With a weather change again to overcast and mild drizzles, at 0700 hrs I put on the radar in addition to the depth sounder, chart plotter, GPS and refrigerator. We cast off the lines from the famous noon sight lat./long dock of our State Capital and head north out of Budd inlet. We pick up a tug and log boom and check his position with the radar when he is abeam. He is headed for the log port in Olympia.
At 0845 we are at Zittels Marina. Too Tall Tom will depart and take care of his coordination of selling his Arima Skol with the Gig Harbor Yacht Sales. If anyone is interested call Wayne. I get a block of ice and top off the water tank. I fix us a big breakfast and Too Tall musters enough energy to off load his 6 bags of stuff. I hang for a while to time my arrival at the Tacoma Narrows with the ebbing tide. Departure is 1115 hrs. and I make the ebb tide at 1320hrs.
Just as Puget departed Olympia and headed north to close the gap on his journey, I have decided to follow suit and make my way north to Restoration Point where Puget had to find the HMS Discovery. I reach Colvos Passage at 1345 hrs and follow a mid line course to get the full effect of the ebbing tide. Later a slight southerly breeze began, just like the one which had been filling the launch’s sails. Shatoosh with Pashmina in tow both ride nicely at 7.6k.
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| Blake Island |
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| Restoration Point |
Leaving Vashon Island to stern the winds picked up and push us down on Restoration Point, the southern most point on Bainbridge Island. I round the R 2 buoy to port and the sleeping sea lion boringly lifts his head to see who is in his territory. The waters calm themselves and I can see where the Indian Village of the Suquamish tribe would have lived. When Captain Vancouver called this the most miserable village he had seen, he would be astounded by the elaborate homes that are here now. I was even surprised at the real estate. So at 1600 hrs I complete my loop, I squeeze my eyes a little and pretend again that it is 0200 hrs, 27 May 1792 and the HMS Discovery lies at anchor ahead of me. “Job well done”, I say to myself. “Mission accomplished”. I turn Shatoosh around and set course for Blake Island where I will spend the night. The wind has picked up some from the southeast and I slow down to make it easy on Pashmina.
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| Blakely Harbor and Restoration Point Position of the HMS Discovery and Indian Village of Suquamish Tribe |
I have tied up to the dock at 1645 hrs. Another great adventure comes to a close. I have learned so much history, cruised in the wakes of the HMS Discovery and her launches, expanded my awareness of these explorers and their accomplishments. I will love Puget’s Sound more than ever before. I am now officially a member of a select group of people who have journeyed in Lt Peter Puget’s wake. There is no such club, no known members except Richard Blumenthal, Too Tall Tom and myself. Sam McKinney, Robert Wing and Gordon Newell are all deceased authors who honored these explorers and took the time to imbibe their journeys. For all of them I am eternally grateful. There is enough rum (a thimble full) for one last drink of grog. I raise my mug to all of us adventurers and sit down on my bunk in the fore peak and crack open the computer to catch up on writing my blog.
Day’s run: 48nm
Total: 194nm This total includes our run from Johnston point-Zittel’s Marina north to Blake island. If we subtract that from our total we are left with 124nm vs. Lt Peter Puget’s Exploration of 163nm. Our journey was less as we cut out some of Carr and Case Inlets and the Nisqually Reach. I plan to do these and add Hammersley Inlet which they did not do. Gosh, I have all summer to explore.
13 June 2012 Wednesday
I stay another day on Blake Island and visit up at Tillicum Village. It is totally fascinating to me. Every time I come I see new things. This afternoon I noticed a book named, Eagle Boy, by a friend, Richard Vaughn who used to live on Vashon Island. The lady at the register said it was new today. It is a children’s book with wonderful illustrations. I remember buying a copy years ago for my great nieces. I was surprised to see it.
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I spoke with many workers, had lunch of salmon chowder which was delicious, spoke with Ed, the wood carver and print maker. The Indian artwork is spectacular and some of Ed’s work is all over the world, including the Smithsonian. The new aspect about the village is that they have a small order café that is open even between the boat tours. They serve beer and wine as well. If you live in the local Seattle-Tacoma area, I would encourage you to come to Blake Island and visit the Tillicum Village and take part in their Salmon Bake and Salish Indian Program. It is superb.
Tillicum Village and larger glacial erratic
After Thoughts on our Exploration/ Lt Peter Puget's Exploration
1. We had a cruising study of the architectural digest of homes. We have seen just about every home design on this section of the world. We have seen one room beach houses to 4 story mansions on ridges, some cute as a button and some as ugly as a gila monster. It is amazing at the wealth of all the people living here. The homes and yachts are huge, not always attractive, and you rarely see people around them. A few people came out on their decks and waved and Too Tall, spotting them with his binocs, would tell me to honk my horn back at 'um.. After the first honk, he thought I needed a bigger horn.
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| Cooper Point going into Budd inlet This was spectacular. |
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| Shatoosh Dwarfed by Beeg, ugly boats Blake Island |
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| Olalla-right on the water |
2.Grog: We experimented with it each evening, A spash of rum with cold water and ice, lemon or lime, a touch of sugar. Rum with hot water was our favorite and lime- no sugar for me. Rum and water plain- no ice.
Some one called me and said, it is strange to hear that you are drinking and you don't. I replied, "Hira doesn't, but Lt Puget does." A thimble full of rum is not much diluted in a large mug of water. The real ratio is 1 part rum to 4 of water.
3. In the southern waters' Journals there was no mention of dogs or horses. Later on I found Lt Manby speaking of dogs in the Indian villages over by the hood canal. Captain Vancouver up north in BC spoke about the Indian dogs that looked like Pomeranian dogs in England. The salish indians would shear them and make blankets from their wool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salish_Wool_Dog
The Spanish brought horses but I don't know when they appeared in the Pacific NW. The Spanish brought small pox which killed off the majority of Indians in these waters.
4. Along the way, we spoke with many people who had never heard of the name "Peter" Puget and never knew how Puget Sound got its name.Some folks said it was discovered by Hood, Vancouver or the Spanish--just like the San Juan Islands. I was also ignorant before I began reading the history. I'm hoping this journey will shed light so people will be come more aware of the history. These explorers did an amazing job of finding and charting the waters and shores. I am always amazed how big the inland waters are and how numerous the islands.
5. Lt Peter Puget went on to have a long Naval career and reached the rank of Rear Admiral in 1821. He died in Bath, England on October, 1822 at the age of 57. As with many of the explorers on the HMS. Discovery, Admiral Puget disappeared into obscurity after his death. In the 1960's, a Seattle Shipbuilder tried, unsuccessfully, to find Puget's grave. He resorted to placing an ad in the London Times. A response came from a woman in Wooley, England who stated a Rear Admiral Puget was buried there, but the tomb was in terrible condition. Together they with the communities of Wooley and Seattle restored the tomb, translated the worn tomb inscription and brought honor to his grave. The Seattle Historical Society placed a bronze plaque on his tomb to commemorate his exploration of the Puget Sound. The inscription on his tomb read:
"Rear Admiral Peter Puget of His Royal Navy, who after a long and laborious life spent wholly in the service of his country, terminated his earthly career in the arms of his family on 31 Oct 1822." His wife Hannah Elrington is entombed with him. They had 11 children. Peter Puget, by Robert Wing.
6. Chief Se'alth(Seattle), the young son who lived in the Restoration Point Indian Village of the Suquamish Indian Tribe is buried on the Kipsap Peninsula, across and near Agate Pass and Bainbridge Island. There is a museum and monument as well as the grave honoring him. The Chief rendered these words upon the signing of the Mukilteo Treaty in 1854 and created the honorable image of these Indians in Puget's time and present." My people always love its winding rivers, its sacred mountains, and its sequestered vales, and they yearn in tenderest affection for lonely-hearted living and often return to visit, guide and comfort them. Every part of this country is sacred to my people. Even the rocks which seem to lie dumb as they swelter in the sun along with the silent shore in solemn grandeur thrill with memories of past events connected with the lives of my people". Reprinted by Tillicum Village
He states this well and I am forever grateful for his words as I will always travel these water ways with a new found awareness which is infused with honor, gratitude and love.Thank you Chief Sea'alth, Captain George Vancouver and members of the Puget Expedition for your incredible lives and accomplishments.
